A derelict building, that was formerly a hostel, could be transformed into a luxury boutique hotel in Brighton following plans submitted to the city council
Businessmen James Randall and Lucky Gohler have submitted plans to refurbish the empty and derelict building, formerly Hostel Point, on the corner of Grand Junction Road and Pool Valley and turn it into a luxury boutique hotel in Brighton, complete with rooftop bar and restaurant.
The 40-bedroom boutique hotel in Brighton would be named The Louche and help to attract more high-spend visitors to the seaside resort, it is hoped. The refurbished hotel will also grow the city’s booming tourism trade and support the seafront regeneration project.
The 10 – 12 Grand Junction Road was built in 1830 and originally comprised of three separate houses, which were combined and run as a private hotel by 1861. House number 11 gained an additional floor in 1897, and from 1911 the building was known as the Palace Pier Hotel until the mid-1980s, when it was re-fitted and re-named the Princes Hotel. Hostel Point was opened in 2015 offering cheap accommodation to backpackers, but it quickly closed and fell into disrepair.
James and Lucky, the new owners, want to restore the derelict building to its former glory: as a luxury boutique hotel with stunning views of Brighton’s Palace Pier and the beach. A rooftop extension will provide adequate space for a terrace bar and restaurant, which would be open to the public. The proposed fifth floor extension would be set back from the building’s façade, to allow visitors a panoramic sea view along the front and sides of the building.
Plans for The Louche have been drawn up by award-winning London architects Dexter Moren Associates who specialise in designing hotels and hospitality venues.
‘This corner of Brighton is ripe for respectful redevelopment’
James said:
“Our vision for The Louche is to bring this beautiful seafront building back into use and restore its former purpose as a hotel, attracting more high-spend visitors to the city and providing a boost for local businesses, as well as creating new jobs. This corner of Brighton is ripe for respectful redevelopment, as part of a broader regeneration of the seafront. It needs major investment as the site at 10-12 Grand Junction Road has been neglected.
“If a successful outcome cannot be reached there is a danger that this site will remain derelict for at least another decade and negatively impact the building next door – Pier Nine Casino. Lucky and I both grew up near Brighton in Lancing, so we know the city well and we want to create something here we can be proud of.”
‘There’s a shortage of accommodation and an appetite for more high-end options’
With more than 11 million visitors making trips to Brighton and Hove every year and spending nearly £886 million in the city, the tourism trade is doing well. However, the businessmen want to attract more overnight visitors, as evidence shows that longer-staying visitors spend more and are more likely to build a relationship with the city.
Lucky added:
“Currently there are hardly any rooftop bars and surprisingly, no Michelin-star restaurants in Brighton yet. Our city attracts millions of visitors every year, yet we know there’s a shortage of accommodation and an appetite for more high-end options. The Louche would help fill this gap, as well as providing a vibrant new venue for local people to enjoy and local jobs.”
Darren Johnson, conference and business development manager at VisitBrighton, has already voiced support for breathing new life into 10-12 Grand Junction Road. He made the following comment:
“The Tourism & Leisure Department would be supportive of any works that would bring the building back into use and to renovate the exteriors in an area which acts as a city gateway to our business and leisure visitors.”
